Leaking conservatory roof

Cristy · 9 October 2006 at 8:31PM

We moved into this house in May. We have a good sized conservatory which is used as a year-round reception room. Unfortunately though, when the rain is medium to severe strength, we have a leak from the centre of the polycarbonate roof.

We've had a windows and conservatories fitter come and fix it. All he could do is use silicone sealant over the joins of the (apparently) affected polycarbonate tiles. Unfortunately this didn't solve the problem, so he came back out today to give it another seal, but he did say he wasn't at all sure this would help. He said that, in order to have a look at what might be causing the problem, he'd have to dismantle the roof and end up installing a new one.

The guy seemed honest enough and he has done other work for us, but is it really this difficult to diagnose a leak from a poly roof? Also, does anyone know how muck it would cost to replace the roof? The room is about 4m x 3.5m and has a pitched roof.

There is no trace anywhere on the conservatory of who installed it in the first place. This thing is only 4 years old so whoever installed it must have bodged it!

McAzrael · 10 October 2006 at 5:29PM

Leaks in conservatory roofs can be a nightmare to find. Your window fitter is right in saying that he may end up dismantling the whole roof looking for the leak as the penetration may not be anywhere near where the dampness is showing. Something will get broken and spares can be very difficult to get hold of as the manufacturers change their profiles as often as they change their dyes.

Cristy · 10 October 2006 at 8:36PM

Thank you for your reply. I'm now eagerly waiting for a downpour to see if it has been fixed - and if not, we'll just have to buy the bullet and shell out. Fingers crossed...

trickster · 11 October 2006 at 10:21AM

We had to completely renew ours. Ours was more of an extension with a polycarbonate roof. It had steadily got worse until we had about 6 pans collecting water this time last year.

There was no option but to replace it, so we got it replaced with glass. Much warmer, no leaks and doesn't sound like we are living in a drum when it rains really hard. Cost just over £2000 IIRC. Ours was about 2.5 metres x 4 metres.

NicolaC · 11 October 2006 at 11:08AM

Hi Cristy.
We had someone come look at our conservatory roof last night. It's been leaking from several places as we too seem to have bought a house where someone has done a botch job on it.
Anyway, the guy last night said that our type of roof isn't available anymore. I think it was stopped as it was so unreliable.
he can try to seal it up and replace the damaged panel, but if he did that he wouldn't guarentee the work (as several other places I rang had said the same).

He's getting back to me today with a quote for a whole new polycarbonate roof.
It's 3m x 3.5m
I'll come back later and let you know how much it's going to cost.

Cristy · 11 October 2006 at 1:00PM

I'd love a glass roof! Not sure I'd be able to justify the expense though.... Bet it looks like a million dollars though, trickster

Nicola, thank you, I'd be very interested to hear what you are quoted for a new poly roof.

Not sure where you are, but this morning it was raining very, very hard for hours in our neck of the woods. Looks like the seals are holding as we have no leaks at all, touch wood. Even as a temporary solution, I wouldn't mind. I just hate the idea of already having to replace a roof on a 4-yr old conservatory, when we paid premium for this house because it had one!!

NicolaC · 11 October 2006 at 1:05PM

We are South London ish... and yes is absolutely hammering it down at the moment. I'm dreading getting home later and finding puddles.

:rolleyes:

NicolaC · 11 October 2006 at 1:20PM

He's just rung.
To have a whole new roof fitted is going to be £1200 plus £300 labour (2 men for a day and a half)

This includes the new poly roofing panels as well as new side panels & framework (as we need more of an angle on the roof than there is now) And they'll do all of the edging in lead (forgive, me I've forgotten the word for it!).

I don't know if this is a good quote or not. I'll get hubby to look into it later.

Cristy · 11 October 2006 at 3:36PM

Woah. That sounds like a lot! Especially if for an extra £500 you could have it in glass. Would def. ring around! Although it might just be the going rate in South London. We're in Basingstoke so also rip-off country

AAngell · 30 November 2008 at 4:32PM

We have exactly the same problem - we brought a house 3 yrs ago and it has always leaked (a bit ) - thanks to the sellers for telling us about that!

We recently had our first quote this week and it was for £3468 for the PVC panels, I was shocked especially as we don't have that money spare!

Trickster - can you please tell me who replaced your roof in glass for £2k?

Thanks

27col · 30 November 2008 at 5:32PM

Quote:[ Not sure I'd be able to justify the expense though.]
You don't have to be able to justify the expense. You just have to be able to afford the expense. We used to have these agonies of trying to justify buying something. (In the past I might add.) Until we realised that it was not necessary to justify things, but just to be able to afford them. The only criteria was that we would not go into debt for something.

Leaking conservatory roof

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